Zechariah 9:4

4 Lo! the Lord shall wield it, and shall smite in the sea the strength thereof, and it shall be devoured by fire. (Lo! the Lord shall possess it, and shall strike down its strength into the sea, and the city itself shall be devoured by fire.)

Zechariah 9:4 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 9:4

Behold, the Lord will cast her out
Or "inherit her" {f}, or "them", as the Septuagint render the words; when, being converted, she would become the Lord's inheritance and possession, and her riches should be devoted to his service: and he will smite her power in the sea;
for Tyre was situated in the sea, at the entry of it, and was strong in it, ( Ezekiel 26:17 ) ( 27:3 ) . Kimchi interprets this of her humiliation and subjection in the days of the Messiah; and in a spiritual sense it has been verified in such who have been spoiled of their carnal strength, in which they trusted, and have laid down their weapons, and have submitted to the sceptre of Christ: and she shall be devoured with fire;
with the spirit of judgment, and of burning, which purges and removes the filth of sin; and with the fire of the word, which burns up and consumes its lusts; and with the flames of divine love, which make souls as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. This was literally accomplished in the burning of Tyre by Alexander ^F7, which injected fear and dread in cities near it, as follow:

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 (hnvrwy) (klhronomhsei autouv) , Setp.; "possidebit eam", V. L. Munster, Castalio. So some in Vatablus.
F7 Curtius, l. 4. c. 4.

Zechariah 9:4 In-Context

2 And Hemath shall be in the terms thereof, and Tyrus, and Sidon; for they took to them wisdom greatly. (And Hamath shall be within its borders, and Tyre, and Sidon; even though they think themselves to have great wisdom.)

3 And Tyrus builded his stronghold, and gathered silver as earth, and gold as fen of streets. (And Tyre built its fortress, and gathered silver like the dust, and gold like the mire, or like the mud, in the streets.)

4 Lo! the Lord shall wield it, and shall smite in the sea the strength thereof, and it shall be devoured by fire. (Lo! the Lord shall possess it, and shall strike down its strength into the sea, and the city itself shall be devoured by fire.)

5 Ashkelon shall see, and shall dread; and Gaza, and shall sorrow full much; and Ekron, for the hope thereof is confounded; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited; (Ashkelon shall see it, and shall have great fear; and Gaza, and it shall have great sorrow; and Ekron too, for its hope is confounded, or what it trusted in hath perished; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited;)

6 and a parter shall sit in Ashdod, and I shall destroy the pride of Philistines. (and those who be parted, or who be half-breeds, shall live in Ashdod, and I shall destroy the pride of the Philistines.)